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CLEARCACHE
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Articles Posted: 5; Links Seeded: 16
Member Since: 8/2006Last Seen: 11/25/2009
Member Since: 8/2006Last Seen: 11/25/2009
16 Votes
19 Comments
Yahoo Misquotes MIB: Claims Will Smith says 'Hitler Was A Good Person'
News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:11 PM EST
Article Source: Yahoo! Newsadvertisement
He says, "Even Hitler didn't wake up going, 'Let me do the most evil thing I can do today'.
"I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good'. Stuff like that just needs reprogramming."
I'm really not sure what I could say to add to this.
The issue relates to many conversations we've had here on the 'vine about the subjective nature of "good" and "evil". While I'm sure Smith is going to catch some heat for this, is he really all that wrong?
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 | Will Smith Angered by Misinterpretation | Associated Press | Mon Dec 24 | 0 |
| ADL Says Will Smith Didn't Praise Hitler | Associated Press | Wed Dec 26 | 1 |
- Public Discussion (19)
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{"commentId":1300051,"authorDomain":"pobox522rlyeh"}
I don't disagree with the tone of the story, but the people at Yahoo who came up with the headline, are demonstrating for us what poor journalism is.
He didn't say that he was essentially a good person, he said he didn't think he was doing evil. That's not the same thing. It's a crap headline and they knew it.
{"commentId":1300051,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"pobox522rlyeh"}
- 11 votes
#1 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:45 PM EST{"commentId":1300066,"authorDomain":"clearcache"}
I would tend to agree. I think what Smith is getting at is that Hitler thought he was doing the right thing, making the world a better place - as warped and twisted as we may all view that to be today.
{"commentId":1300066,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"clearcache"}
- 8 votes
{"commentId":1300061,"authorDomain":"icarus4586"}
The article makes it sound like Smith is a wacko, but I think he has a good point.
Few if any people actually try to do consciously evil things. Extending his point to the many different religious groups through history who have killed huge numbers of people, they don't wake up saying, "Hey, let's kill a bunch of innocent people! That would be fun!" They think they're getting the world rid of evil or something like that. At the very worst, they're acting selfishly, trying to make things more comfortable for themselves.
So maybe there are two lessons. The first is to look for the best in people, and the second is to look at yourself from time to time and make sure you're not doing something that's evil without particularly trying to.
And the third lesson is that Yahoo News is sensationalist.
{"commentId":1300061,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"icarus4586"}
- 6 votes
#2 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:51 PM EST{"commentId":1300084,"authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
What the hell is up with that headine?!
In no way does Will Smith say that Hitler was a good person. He had a vision of his perfect 'good' world, and set out to create it. Whilst it was a sick vision, it was what he perceived to be good.
This is just an example of Yahoo News and their provider "World Entertainment News" being idiots and trying to write sensationalist articles to get peoples attention. If I were Will Smith and I read that I would probably think about suing for damages.
{"commentId":1300084,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
- 3 votes
#3 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:02 PM EST{"commentId":1300095,"authorDomain":"clearcache"}
Yeah, I don't disagree. I originally took the "quote" out of quotes because it didn't sit well with me, but I've edited my headline even further.
I picked it up from another site with an even more sensational headline: "Liberal Fascism". While I was personally more interested in the subtleties of Smith's thoughts regarding the subjective nature of good and evil, I suppose the Yahoo! headline is news as well.
Often, we don't think of our celebrities as being all that deep, but I'm sure the nature of good and evil is something Smith has had much time to reflect upon, given his roles. I can also see the connection to his latest film, I am Legend. It's a good film depicting what can happen when overwhelmingly good intentions result in an arguably evil outcome.
{"commentId":1300095,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"clearcache"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1300130,"authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
I see nothing wrong with how you've edited the story. If anything the Yahoo page makes it sound worse. Also, the quotes would detract from what Yahoo and WENN are trying to say. It's one of those situations where a Blogger can't really take any kind of stance without altering the overall seed, and if we were to do that we may as well had written an article expressing our opinions of this link.
As for Will Smith. He happens to be my favourite actor of all time. His music is probably the only Rap I've ever liked, and he's acted as an inspiration to a whole generation. Even famous rappers today agree that he was someone they looked up to as a child/teen growing up. He's a class act of the highest calibre, and his accomplishments in Music, TV and Film have shown that he's one of the greatest stars of our generation, and on top of that, that being black is in no way a hindrance to becoming a success.
A small fact for you. I'm sure you've watched The Pursuit of Happyness (if you haven't, do, as it's one of the most inspiring movies I've ever watched). Did you know that Will Smith is a Wiz with a Rubik's Cube in real life too?
{"commentId":1300130,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1300178,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Will Smith is probably my all time favorite actor also, he always does a good job at what he does and is a class act himself in so many ways. I look up to him and admire what a heck of a good job that he has done with his acting career and his life. That is one of the reasons for my comment here, I would hate to see his otherwise excellent image scarred by Yahoo for people that are not so familiar with him.
Whoa and that YouTube Video. 55 second with a Rubiks cube is pretty darn good ! I would hate to think how long it would take me now since its been years, he made it look easy however. I think I will have to see if I can find mine and drive myself crazy tonight figuring it out again. :-)
{"commentId":1300178,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1300182,"authorDomain":"clearcache"}
He's definitely an enjoyable entertainer. His ability to hold my attention during I Am Legend speaks to his ability. While I'm not sure I can call the movie overall a "great" film, I do think he did a great job.
Haven't seen Happyness yet, but I intend to.
{"commentId":1300182,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"clearcache"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1300194,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Gotta go see it, wonderful movie, I saw it one time when I was not doing all that well and came out feeling in a much better mood, I love those kind of movies. If you want to read about it, here is tons of info on it from "Rotten Tomatoes"
{"commentId":1300194,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1300112,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Of course Hitler was not born a evil person, however in skimming the headline like so often people do, Yahoo sure does Will Smith a huge disservice by the use of such a sensationalist kind of title. I would think that for PR reasons, Will Smith should issue a statement or maybe better yet a lawsuit on this on against Yahoo. I sure would not want my name connected with Hitler+Good all in the same sentence !
{"commentId":1300112,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
- 4 votes
#4 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:16 PM EST{"commentId":1300230,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
I think this is emblematic of why Smith is successful. He understands that people do what they think is good (whether the good be for them or others) and that is their motivation and if you are going to change their actions at the end of the day you have to change or subvert their motivations. You must change a person's core organizing principles to change their actions. One would be amazed how many people don't understand this simple principle.
{"commentId":1300230,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 5 votes
#5 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:35 PM EST{"commentId":1300304,"authorDomain":"javelin"}
Smith got it right... Yahoo is moronic. Not only did Hitler probably think himself doing good, but Stalin, Pol Pot, and anyone else who did unimaginably evil things in the pursuit of some demented righteousness thought THEY were doing good.
{"commentId":1300304,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"javelin"}
- 4 votes
#6 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 9:24 PM EST{"commentId":1300440,"authorDomain":"ombra"}
Will Smith isn't wrong at all. It seems like the greatest evils are done in the name of the greater good and by people who actually believe it.
That headline is terribly misleading and just plain wrong and typical of too much in the way of reporting these days.
{"commentId":1300440,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"ombra"}
- 4 votes
#7 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 10:50 PM EST{"commentId":1300483,"authorDomain":"rsloan"}
See this is why I love newsvine, all you guys have pretty much got it right.
{"commentId":1300483,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"rsloan"}
- 3 votes
#8 - Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:33 PM EST{"commentId":1300610,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
I kinda thought this would happen real fast !
{"commentId":1300610,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
- 3 votes
#9 - Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:43 AM EST{"commentId":1300750,"authorDomain":"bobneve1"}
Much ado about nothing...
{"commentId":1300750,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"bobneve1"}
#10 - Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:56 AM EST{"commentId":1300774,"authorDomain":"ezeques"}
Who is Will Smith and/or who cares and Yahoo is just as big an idiot to publish this. So two idiots make a story???
{"commentId":1300774,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"ezeques"}
#11 - Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:18 AM EST{"commentId":1300810,"authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
If you honestly don't know who Will Smith is you must have been listening under some pretty damn huge rock for most of your life.
Enjoy. I know we did.
{"commentId":1300810,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"ultimategfx"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1300850,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
I loved Independence Day. "Goodnight..." "Peace!" and the nuclear warhead blows through the alien craft. LOL
{"commentId":1300850,"threadId":"193879","contentId":"1184705","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 1 vote
#12 - Tue Dec 25, 2007 9:39 AM EST{"canLink":false,"threadId":"193879","isPrivate":false}
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